ECOSYSTEM BASED MANAGEMENT (EBM) = HEALTHY PEOPLE, PROCESSES AND SYSTEMS

VATU-I-RA COMMUNITY BULLETIN

Ni sa bula vinaka! Welcome to the sixteenth edition of the VATU-I-RA COMMUNITY BULLETIN. The bulletin brings together news and results from ongoing activities by the VOL. 16. JAN 2011 Wildlife Conservation Society within the Vatu-i-Ra group. KEY EBM MESSAGES:

SPREADING EBM PRINCIPLES INTO WAINUNU Preservation of functional integrity of Fiji’s ecoscapes through AND WAILEVU DISTRICTS community based management. WCS and the Kubulau Resource Management The workshop presented the principles of  Successful 'ridge-to-reef' Committee (KRMC) recently completed EBM and sustainable financing. Groups did management depends on broad introductory workshops in Wainunu district in mapping exercises highlighting their traditional stakeholder input Bua and Wailevu district of Cakaudrove. Lessons ecological knowledge. Participants listed their learned were shared by the KRMC in future vision for their respective tikina,  I n l a n d a n d c o a s t a l implementing Ecosystem Based Management identified threats and management solutions to communities need to manage (EBM) and to begin to develop management the threats. The platform was also set for the their actions and resources institutions and plans for the neighbouring establishment of new district resource together districts. The districts of and Solevu (Bua management committees.  'Ridge-to-reef' management Province) also attended the Wainunu workshop Workshop reports will be distributed in protects habitat for all stages of at their own expense to learn about establishing February. For more information on upcoming life their own resource management committees and activities in 2011 see page-4. management plans.  The success of protected areas for conservation and livelihoods relies on combining b o t t o m - u p c o m m u n i t y engagement with top-down planning  Public health and livelihoods depend on environmental health  Healthy ecosystems are the best defense against climate change impacts to livelihoods

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Above: Participants from the Wainunu workshop BACTERIAL DISEASE STUDY BY 2 ILANA BRITO

PROTECTED AREA COMMITTEE 2 WORKSHOP

‘FROM THE WESTSIDE TO THE 3 WEST PACIFIC’

UPCOMING EVENTS 4

Above: Interactive group mapping IN MEMORY OF TUI NA WAISA 4 activities held at both Wainunu and SAIRUSI TURAGALAILAI Wailevu workshops Above: Participants from the Wailevu workshop PAGE 2 VATU-I-RA COMMUNITY BULLETIN BACTERIAL DISEASE STUDY BY DR. ILANA BRITO Typhoid has been a serious threat to flooding. The ultimate goal of the study is Wildlife Conservation Society, and health within Fiji. Typhoid disease can be to determine whether there are any Wetlands International-Oceania. The transmitted by contaminated water and ecosystem management schemes that may study team will visit community members food and people are vulnerable to help reduce disease burden. within villages in the Wainunu and becoming infected following severe Macuata Districts in order to understand The study also will involve a campaign to cyclones. how bacterial diseases may be increase hand-washing. Hand-washing is a transmitted. The study consists of a In February, a study will take place to try key factor in reducing the spread of questionnaire and analysis of biological to understand the main ways in which communicable diseases. Hand washing is samples from people, animals and the people get infected in order to determine effective with regular soap or laundry environment. This study has support from the most effective ways to reduce disease soap. the Ministry of Health and the Northern burden. Specifically, we will be focusing The study will be performed in Province Health Centers. The results of on whether flooding has increased disease collaboration between Dr. Ilana Brito, a the study will be beneficial not only to the transmission in different areas and biologist at Columbia University in New communities directly involved in the whether specific agricultural or land use York and researchers at the Fiji National study but to communities across Fiji as practices may increase or decrease University School of Medicine, the well. PROTECTED AREA COMMITTEE WORKSHOP WITH PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATORS For the first time ever, Roko Tui and of both the Fiji Locally Managed Marine Senior Assistant Roko Tui of the 14 Area (FLMMA) and the terrestrial were invited to join protected area networks to allow them members of the national Protected Area to have an in depth knowledge of the Committee and the Fiji Locally Managed conservation strategies employed in both Marine Area network to a National ecosystems. A major part of the Planning Workshop, facilitated by WCS workshop was devoted to conservation at Nadave training centre. During the planning using maps and charts to assist workshop, the participants were briefed the Roko Tui and their community on the following issues: (1) the work to leaders involved with both the marine date by the National Protected Area and terrestrial protection to identify Committee in assessing progress against critical areas within both ecosystems that Fiji's national biodiversity targets under the villages, tikina and provinces could the current system of terrestrial and expand their conservation activities into. marine protected areas; (2) the role that English and Fijian versions of the EBM government, NGOs and other agencies Guide were distributed to all have played in prioritising areas for participants. protection and management to conserve Fiji's unique biodiversity and preserve Workshop outputs included: (1) livelihoods; (3) the partnership maps of candidate natural and cultural arrangement that exists amongst these Above —Stacy Jupiter leading an interactive mapping heritage sites proposed for protection; agencies and the local communities in exercise. (2) strategies on how to communicate to their communities critical issues terms of the management of their Below— Workshop participants, Roko Tui’s, Assistant Roko protected areas; and (4) the need for the discussed in the workshop; and (3) Tui’s and workshop facilitators. Roko Tui and their staff to be more action plans for next steps involved in these activities and support implementation on the communities in the management and the ground in each planning activities of their qoliqoli and province. land areas within their respective tikina and provinces.

The Roko Tui were exposed to a series of related lectures delivered by distinguished speakers on issues such as Fiji’s marine eco-regions, mangrove ecosystems, endemic plant and fish species together with the wetlands and their connectivity areas. The Roko Tui were also be introduced to the evolution VOL. 16. JAN 2011 PAGE 3 “FROM THE WESTSIDE TO THE WEST PACIFIC” “From the Westside to the West Pacific’ For the Chicago youth at Voise Academy, program will provide youth the internet learning is part of their daily opportunity to engage with internet routine. But in these resources are technologies, science and each other. limited. The Marist students will have The program developed by the Chicago access to laptop computers, the internet, Field Museum will involve Marist digital cameras and video cameras. The Brothers High School in Suva and the students will learn how to use this Voise Academy in Chicago, USA. Akanisi equipment and be able to share pictures from WCS will facilitate the program and from their local environment with those will be assisted by FLMMA. Above—Students from Voise Academy in Chicago, USA, students in Chicago. Some of these learning about Fijian reefs online with www.whyville.net students had never heard of Fiji before The goal of the program is to increase the start of this program. young peoples understanding of biodiversity and engage them in real Stacy Jupiter says, “these issues (of conservation practises. Using a conservation) are important to Fijians. combination of tools including an online They take pride in being cartoon coral reef (www.whyville.net) able to have coastal and real life examples, students will resources that they can learn to experience and understand the depend on for the future connections between species, culture, and it is important to science and technology. share their culture with other people in the More than 50 youths from Chicago and world.” Fiji will be involved in this program to gain knowledge in reef biology. They will learn about the signs of healthy reef and find out what can make it sick. Find out about different creatures that live in and around a coral reef, and find out who eats who on a reef. Above—The internet reef simulation on WHYVILLE. Students click on the fish or coral and information will be available like below on the Green Humphead Parrotfish.

FIJI ECOSYSTEM BASED MANAGEMENT (EBM) = HEALTHY PEOPLE, PROCESSES ONGOING AND UPCOMING EVENTS AND SYSTEMS Contact:  February 2011—CENT workshop with CORAL Vatu-i-Ra Community Bulletin Editor Wildlife Conservation Society  February—March 2011—Socio-economic surveys in 11 Ma’afu Street Wainunu and Wailevu. Suva Fiji Islands  February—March 2011—Health surveys in Wainunu by Dr. Ilana Brito. Phone: + 679 331 5174  Fax: + 679 331 0178 March– April 2011– Baseline marine biological E-mail: [email protected] surveys in Wainunu, Wailevu, Nadi and Solevu. CHECK US  Mid- 2011—Release of the Ecoguide to flora and

WWW.WCSFIJI.ORG fauna of Kubulau. on FACEBOOK @ WCS-FIJI

IN MEMORY OF TURAGA NI YAV U S A WAISA-SAIRUSI TURAGALAILAI

WCS was sad to hear of the passing of Sairusi Turagalailai in late 2010. Sairusi significantly contributed to the management planning in Kubulau and WCS would like to publicly acknowledge his contributions to conservation in Kubulau. Sairusi featured in the making of Paulo’s Truimph DVD. In this he said, “we are very fortunate that WCS join us in observing our qoliqoli, the milestone of it...we signed our management plan.” Further, “we use our traditional Fijian system of trying to call on the people of Kubulau and the surrounding areas, telling them ‘please keep these qoliqoli areas tabu because WCS Community engagement officer, Sirilo Duluniqio Kubulau is benefiting from it.’’ writes... Sairusi was a very strong conservation advocate, easy to talk to, down to earth and he understood the Ecosystem Based Management concept very well. He was a very strong member of the Bose Vanua Through his leadership his village managed to extend their tabu area.

I even recall Turaga ni Yavusa Waisa when showed Stacy this extended tabu area on the map he said the reason we want this tabu because it is right in front of Nasue and Drokana because of the spill over effect. Fish will definitely come here and rest. This tabu will support the two district tabus. That was Sairusi Turagalailai at his best.

Please send your questions and letters to the Vatu-i-Ra Community Bulletin Editorial Team, using the contact details above. T AQOMAKI NI NODA VEIKABULA The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a U.S. based international NGO, with conservation programs all around the world, including Fiji. Over the past century, the WCS has worked to establish more than 130 parks and protected areas on land and at sea as well as working on threatened species. WCS works to save wildlife and wild places by understanding and resolving the critical problems that threaten key species and large, wild ecosystems around the world.